The 13th annual BearClimb will be held on Saturday at the Student Life Center. The event is open to climbers of all skill levels ranging from youth to advanced.
There will be two sessions each consisting of 70 climbers. Daniel Ezell, coordinator for outdoor adventure, said this is the most competitors BearClimb has had.
Students from different universities participate in BearClimb in order to obtain points for the Collegiate Climbing Series. According to the Collegiate Climbing Series website, “competitors must compete in at least one Collegiate sanctioned local competition as a Collegiate competitor member.”
Ezell said BearClimb is bigger than other climbing competitions because of the size of the rock wall. According to the outdoor adventure website, the rock wall is “one of the tallest free-standing climbing walls in Texas.”
In order to participate, climbers registered and paid a $30 fee. The fee covered the cost of registration and provided a grab bag, snacks and a T-shirt. The event will include a raffle and awards. The title sponsors of the event are Bear Mountain and Sendero Hat Co.
College Station junior Angela Yip has participated in BearClimb for the past two years. She said she heard about BearClimb when she joined the Baylor climbing team her freshman year.
At the end of the competition, the top three females and top three males will be chosen to do an onsite problem which consists of a new climb they have not seen before. Ezell said outside route setters are brought in to create new climbs.
Ezell emphasized the feeling of partnership and camaraderie between climbers. He said that in previous competitions everyone has cheered the climbers on because it is not just about climber versus climber.
“It’s about climber versus the climb” he said.
